Stripped Valve Cover bolts

[rYan01400EX]

Whats the common thing to do when you strip valve cover bolts? Can you tap out to a slightly larger size or will it effect something? I've got two done like this.

[NacsMXer]

Once I snapped a bolt and left the end with the threads stuck in the head. I took it to a machine shop for them to extract it and they installed a Helicoil which fixed the threads right up.

[idro]

drill out and rethread? :ermm:

[CDCHONDAS]

generally helicoil

[kalebarellano]

Do you mean one of the small valve cover bolts or one of the 4 big valve cover things?

[ride_red666]

i think he means tha small 8mm bolts. i stripped a few of those back in the day myself. just helicoil them. the engine shop i used to work at said to just tighten them with a ratchet till the feel tight. ive done that for 4 yrs and never had any problems again.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by ride_red666
i think he means tha small 8mm bolts. i stripped a few of those back in the day myself. just helicoil them. the engine shop i used to work at said to just tighten them with a ratchet till the feel tight. ive done that for 4 yrs and never had any problems again.

Yup, it doesn't take much to snap those suckers :p Now I just use a 1/4" ratchet and choke up on it as much as possible to limit the leverage. Just cinch them down that's all you need.

[rYan01400EX]

Yea, it was the 8mm ones... Yea, I figured I'd end up using a helicoil... But, I was just wondering if it would hurt anything in the head to tap it out to one bigger size?